Fast Friends
by QuickSilverFox3
Summary: [Modern University AU] Lily has been at this University for only a few days, but she finds herself running behind her new friend Remus Lupin, running away from something... [Remus Lupin & Lily Potter, James Potter & Sirius Black]


**School/Theme: Assassination**

**Year: 1**

**Prompt: **

**[Platonic Pairing] Remus Lupin & Lily Potter**

**[action] Being Chased; **

**[Dialogue] "You're an assassin!"/ "We've been friends for literally two days, why are you shocked?"/ "I just thought for once I'd get a normal friend!"/ "What do you mean, 'for once'?"**

**Word Count: 2104**

"Come on!"

Lily's breath burned in her lungs, too focused on running to ask any of the questions spiralling in her mind. The gravel crunched beneath her feet, a few rocks finding their way into her shoes and biting into her feet, but that didn't matter. What mattered was getting as far away from whatever danger Remus had seen as possible.

People wisely moved out of their way, a few scowls and tuts echoing in their ears as they ran, but nothing more. Remus tugged her around a corner, and Lily ran into his chest as he suddenly stopped, nearly knocking them both over.

She gasped for breath, hearing the tightness in her chest, heart loud in her ears. She could hear Remus's heart as well, steadier than her own. He didn't seem to be as out of breath as she was either. The nerve.

"What was that about?" Lily asked, pulling in air between every word, voice hushed more from the lack of air rather than a conscious effort. Remus peered around the edge of the wall, hands warm on Lily's arms as he steadied her.

"I-, uh," Remus started before he cut himself off, chewing on his lip as he thought, eyes unable to settle on Lily's.

Lily remained silent, hands resting on her hips as Remus released her, tugging at the thin cotton sleeves of the long shirt he was wearing. She raised an eyebrow in response to his nervous glances, and that seemed to be the breaking point, as his shoulders slumped forwards in defeat.

"Coffee? My treat," he offered, a note of desperation in his voice as he glanced back up the road they had just ran up. Lily weighed up her options in the few seconds that followed.

She hadn't known Remus long, only a few days since they both arrived at the University, along with hordes of other new students. Their meeting had been chance, and yet it felt like it was fated to happen, both searching the horrendously disorganised shelves for a specific book buried at the bottom of their reading lists. The older students had wisely used their privileges of being on campus earlier to raid the library a few days prior, including the very book they had been searching for.

"Ojay," Lily agreed. She felt safe with Remus and a coffee she didn't have to pay for was always appreciated. She linked her arm through Remus's as they travelled, a fact that seemed to relax him slightly.

It was a surprisingly warm day, uncommon for this time of year and they were fair from being the only students taking advantage of the sun before the dampness of autumn swept in. Idly, her thoughts returned to her sister, a year younger and so separated from her by a school year and now by several hours drive. She had been so angry when Lily had said where she was going, a cold fury that had managed to last the last few months and spilled over into the clipped text messages she received, clearly prompted by her parents. And Severus…

"What would you like?"

Lily blinked, shocked back to her senses by Remus's quiet voice breaking through the fog of memories.

She scanned the menu boards quickly, wheels turning in her head.

Remus was here on a scholarship, same as her, tentatively mentioned during their first meeting before they dissolved into complaining about the unbelievable absurdity of it all, the difficulty of the application process, delighted to have found a kindred spirit in amongst the teeming throngs of rich students. But it stretched further than that. Lily received some money from her parents, delighted as they wee for their first child to go to university and the scholarship meant they could save to help Petunia. Remus… didn't have that from what Lily gleaned from their conversation.

A delicate tightrope, and one she must learn to walk sooner, rather than later.

"Earl gray please," she said, sighing in relief at spotting her favourite tea lining the carefully labelled jars behind the tea.

"Two please," Remus told the girl behind the register, the scowl seemingly permanently engraved on her face eased up slightly at the word please. Lily fought back a wince and made a mental note to drop some money into the tip jar before she left. With money also seemed to come a lack of manners towards service staff.

Remus ushered her to a table in the corner. Lily couldn't help but notice the vantage point it gave him of the cafe and the street outside, half hidden behind a leafy plant exploding out of its pot so it was not immediately noticeable at first glance. What was going on?

"I'll pick them up when we study together next time?" Lily offered as she sat down, Remus tucking her chair in like something out of a black and white movie, before sitting down himself in the chair opposite.

"That would be nice," Remus said, his cheeks flushing a delicate pink. He fiddled with the bracelet on his left wrist, searching for the words to say as Lily waited for the promised explanation.

The air was slightly steamy due to the ancient looking coffee machine, water hissing and steaming. It held a vaguely fruity scent as well as the strong smell of freshly ground coffee. The bell rang out above the door and Remus jumped, tilting his head back slightly to peer over Lily's head towards it.

"Just so we are both on the same page," Remus began, speaking faster than he normally did, "This isn't some weird set up to get you on a date."

"I didn't think it was, but I'm glad for the clarification," Lily replied gently, indicating his bracelet at his quizzical look in reply. Remus followed her gaze, fingers still tangled in the leather cords and grinned, laughing softly to himself.

"I thought it was subtle enough that I could get used to the idea, before telling anyone," he explained, tucking the bracelet back beneath his sleeve.

Lily had noticed it on their second meeting in as many days. She didn't classify herself as particularly short, but the layout of the student accommodation had not been made with people of her height in mind. And _someone_ had put the pans in a top cupboard like a savage. She suspected James Potter, he seemed like the type.

It had culminated with Lily, balanced on her tiptoes as she strained upwards, refusing to climb onto the counter just yet, spitting out curses and prayers in equal measures as she maneuvered the pan closer to the edge, bracing herself for impact. Remus, with his extra foot of height, had easily caught it when it fell as Lily had known it would. His sleeve had come up, exposing the bracelet. It was beautifully made, beards threaded onto leather cords braided together. It could have been a coincidence that the beads were placed into rainbow pattern, but something inside Lily said that it wasn't. And it looks like she had been right. She'd also noticed the faint silver scars notched into his arm, but pretended she hadn't, stomach twisting in concern for her new friend.

"I won't tell anyone," Lily said, for safe measures. She waited for Remus to nod, his shoulders relaxing, releasing the breath he had been holding since Lily first mentioned the bracelet.

"Here's your tea," the waitress announced, pointlessly as Remus had been tracking her location since she first stepped out from behind the counter, Lily watching him like a hawk. He reminded her of an animal on the hunt in that moment, a wolf maybe, watching and waiting for the right moment to pounce, although whether to fight or flee she couldn't say.

Lily pounced on the free sugar sachets, waiting a cursory amount for the waitress to move away before slipping a few into her pocket, Remus doing the same before the pair burst into muffled giggles.

"Anyway, what was all that about?" Lily asked, a sweep of her hand meant to encompass the mad dash across campus and the following nervous walk to the coffee shop.

Remus sighed, staring into the depths of his cup before meeting her gaze, cheeks tinted pink.

/\\\/\\\

"You're an assassin!"

"We've been friends for literally two days, why are you shocked?"

"I just thought for once I'd get a normal friend!"

"What do you mean, 'for once'?"

It was Lily's turn to blush. Sure, learning that Remus was part of a university club that attempted to 'assassinate' the other members of the club was surprising, but it wasn't the strangest thing he could have told her.

"My friend back home, he…" Lily broke off, mouth twisting as she thought how to phrase it. He wasn't here, but she still couldn't bring herself to speak badly about Severus.

"He had a very immersive fantasy world. Knowing what I know now, I'm not really surprised, his home life was… not the best."

Lily wrapped one hand around the cup, slightly too hot but she persevered, needing the sting to keep her mind in the here and now.

"But yeah, I went along with it, and it didn't end well."

"I'm sorry to hear that," Remus said softly, stretching over to squeeze one of her hands. His hand was warmed from the mug and she squeezed back, grateful for his support.

"Anyway," Lily said, shaking her to dispel the fog that seemed to have descended over her, taking a sip from her mug and feeling herself relax. It was a rare problem that couldn't be made even slightly better with a cup of tea.

"Anyway," she repeated, forcing her thoughts back on track, "Can I help?"

"Help?" Remus repeated, eyes darting over Lily's head as the bell rang out once more, every muscle tense before he relaxed back into the seat again, "Help with what?"

"Your club," Lily answered matter of factly, "I take it you're a target this… what week?"

"Y-yeah," Remus said, head tilting to the side as he thought, fingers tapping along the brim of his cup. His eyes darted from side to side as if he was reading something, slightly unfocused, staring through Lily rather than at her.

"No human shields, you can't physically stop me from 'dying'," Remus had a strange way of doing finger quotes, his ring and pinky finger moving rather than the traditional pointer and middle, "but you can keep watch. And that's the most important thing."

"Can't have my only friend here 'dying'," Lily laughed, clumsily copying Remus's way of quoting, startling a laugh out of the man.

"At the risk of sounding like a primary school child, we are friends right?" Remus's voice was small, shoulders tensed as if bracing for impact.

"Of course we are," Lily reassured, giving him a wide grin, happiness flooding through her as he returned it. His entire face lit up, a flower blossoming in the sun.

"With that in mind," Remus began, eye caught by some movement closer to the door of the cafe, "are you able to run again in a few?"

Lily nodded, a short jerk of her head, and turned as if looking for something in her bag. There by the front door was a silhouette she had learned well, and normally tried to ignore it. James Potter was trying to hard to casually survey the coffee shop, his gaze lightning on her, grin sharpening.

Lily scowled at him and turned away, but not before she saw his other crony, Sirius Black, half hidden behind the door frame, chatting to various people passing on the street.

Remus had slipped down, half concealed beneath the table.

"This better be worth it if I need to distract James Potter," she warned, softening her words with a grin and an eye roll.

"Thank you," Remus said.

/\\\/

James Potter still made her skin crawl, overconfident to a degree that made her nauseated, wiping away any attraction other facets of his personality inspired. It was funny to hear hin shriek as Remus ran past them as if the dogs of Hell were on his heels, his laughter lingering on the air as his pursuers could only gape before running after him, Sirius dragging an unwilling James behind him.

Lily shouldered Remus's bag, tucked her purse back into her bag, now a few coins lighter, and began the slow walk in the soft afternoon sunlight towards the library. Remus would meet her there and they could make some more concrete plans. Because after all, what where friends for if they didn't help you to not be fake assassinated.


End file.
